Gallstones

[Pixie19]

I've just recently found out i have gallstones and have been having awful gallbladder attacks! My doctor has given me Buscopan and co-codamol to take when i have an attack, and has reffered me to see a specialist...does anyone know how long it will take for the specialist to be in touch?
I am suffering so bad, i dont think i can put up with this pain for much longer
I've cut out all fat from my diet and have cut down portion sizes to reduce the risk of an attack, but still having pain everyday and had an attack on Friday night which resulted in me in hospital until 3am

Its really getting me down

 

[purplelou]

It varies depending on where you live, but current nhs guidelines states you should be seen by a consultant within 18 weeks I believe. You may get a choose and book thing sent to you, as a lot of areas are using those now....you get instructions for making your own appointment online, you may also get a choice of hospitals locally too in that case

 

[rachael22]

i was refeerred to a surgeon within a month! i feel your pain hope u feel better soon

 

[Sesity]

Sorry to hear you have gallstones! I had them for over two years before they finally took my gallbladder out so I feel your pain!!!

Firstly, co-codamol did nothing for me & I'm guessing that if you were in hospital recently then they're not helping you either. I found that Tramadol worked for me, made me very sleepy tgh. Maybe you could try that?
Getting my OH to use the heel of his hand & rub my back right where the pain was (in small circles) reeeaally hard helped lots too, used to make him do it till the Tramadol knocked me out

I got my consultant appointment around 8 weeks after the comfirming ultrasound & my surgery should have been booked within 18 weeks of that (as per guidelines) but they told me I had to lose weight first as my BMI was high, think it was 38 at the time.

Anyway, they fobbed me off with this excuse twice more & on the third visit, when the consultant popped out of the room the nurse whispered to me that if I want the surgery I need to toughen up & demand it & that she'd stay in the room with me. Cue me crying very loudly & refusing to leave, & the Dr agreeing that I could get the surgery

My surgery ended up being just over 17 weeks after that appointment

(sorry it's a bit long winded, just wanted to warn you incase you have a high BMI too! or if they try & fob you off for some reason)

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have

 

[jam-on-toast]

HI,
Sorry to hear that you suffer so much, I understand what you're going through as My Mother suffers the same.

She actually refused surgery as it's not always necessary, she has opted for an alternative way of handling it, and it's basically a diet and drink - It's over 7-10 days and at the end of it she passed over 120 little pea sized stones.

If you want more info on how she's handled it naturally then PM me and I'll send you the details.

Hope today's a better day for you x

 

[JuniorAsh]

Ouchh! I feel your pain!! I've recently found out I have gallstones too which started when I was pregnant. I got told countless times that it was "a bruised uterus" yet I knew it was more than that!!
My Dad suffered from bad atttacks and he was stuck on a long waiting list for an operation to remove his gallbladder. He always seemed to get fobbed off by the doctor when he went to see him about it. He was in the doctors surgery and had an attack, he was curled up on the floor crying and being sick, the doctor had him moved higher up the list and he had the operation around 3 weeks after.

Hope you get it sorted soon! x

 

[tina3747]

Have you tried taking nuerofen??

My friend has just had her gallbladder removed, took 16 weeks from the diagnosis to when she had it taken out. She had 72 stones altogether!!!

Her doctor was terrible, fobbed her off from jan this yr to June when she finally diagnosed herself from the Internet and demanded a scan!

Anyway, her consultant recommended taking nuerofen and her symptoms pretty much went away as long as she didn't overload on fat, all shed dare eat was cuppa soup for months but she could manage most food within reason once she started taking the neurofen.

It was a really simple op, out within the day and took a week till she was back at work. Had no problems since other than saying she put on weight from all the food shes now able to eat!!

 

[stepmama1125]

I feel your pain. During the end of my pregnancy I started having horrible pain but was pretty much ignored by the doctors and being told to take antacids. Finally a month after having my son I went to the emergency room and had an ultrasound done. Turns out I had gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder. Was pumped with some morphine and had surgery the next day. Then the day after I had to have another procedure to remove a stone lodged in a bile duct. Was an absolutely terrible experience.

 

[wishuwerehere]

Hi there, I haven't had gallstones but sister has and is due to have her gallbladder out on the 13th March. The waiting list time is within 18 weeks but her surgery was moved up because she had pancreatitis caused by her gallstones.

I know she took solpadeine for pain - I think that's ibuprofen and codeine - you can get it from behind the counter at boots if you tell them you have gallstones!

 

[Pixie19]

I had my gallbladder took out on 19th December...only 2 months after i wrote this thread

It went well and i recovered within 3 days
Started having a few pains again over this last week and what felt like a gallbladder attack last Sunday so i had to go to an emergency doctor who told me its normal and just everything inside getting back to normal and my liver getting used to not having the gallbladder connected to it.
Going to see my GP this afternoon as i've been aching all week, just to double check its normal healing pains. Fingers crossed its normal!

 

[JuniorAsh]

That's excellent!! Glad you've got it all sorted!

 

[minties]

I'm currently in the bath having an attack . I've had the attacks on and off for 8 years. I have paid for 2 expensive ultrasounds and was in the A&E the other days and ... nothing!

The ultrasounds didn't show any stones, even though I have all the classic symptoms. Pain starts under right ribs as an ache, quickly gets much worse. Refered shoulderblade pain. Vommiting, burping etc. It's such intense pain it makes me cry and it's hard to breathe.

Going for another ultrasound in a week, fingers crossed they see something.

 

[Andypanda6570]

After I gave birth to my second son in 1994, I started to get the horrible attacks, It was worse than having labor , for me
For almost 1 year going back and forth to the doctor "Oh it is just gas " I said God gas hurts like this?

One night I had such a bad attack I was in the corner crying and in a fetal position. The next day I went to the doctor with my father and my dad screamed at them. He said this is NOT gas, my daughter is in so much pain, they did a sonogram and I was filled with them. Small but entirely filled. I had to go on a strict diet for 6 weeks , my liver was inflamed. The doctor said if you don't go and stay on this diet for the 6 weeks , then I have to do things the old way with a big cut on your belly and you wont be mobile for at least 5 to 7 weeks I said i have 2 kids I can't do that? he said if you stick to the diet then I can do Laparoscopic surgery and you will have 3 little cuts and be home the same day. That is what I had and they took it out and I never had that pain again. They say pregnancy triggers it the GallStones.

The pain was horrible so I know how it feels..And back in 94 they didn't give me nothing for that pain, I just had to deal with it until my surgery.

Good Luck, Everyone

 

[dgirllamius]

I had my gallbladder removed 2 weeks ago. I've only had attacks after pregnancy and had the worst attack ever at the beginning of February.

My OH phoned the ambulance and they took me to hospital, did ultrasound and found small stones and sludge.

I requested to have the surgery in a different hospital as the one I was in was difficult for my OH to get to.

About 2 weeks later after the first hospital visit I went to my doctor to get referred to the hospital of my choice then a week later I was in.

For 4 days I was put off surgery as my liver enzymes were extremely high. They thought it was hepatitis so they let me go home for the weekend while they ran tests.

Back in after the weekend and gallbladder removed on the Tuesday via keyhole surgery. I have an incision by my belly button plus three around the liver area. I'm now fully recovered (was battling the surgery recovery with bronchitis!) so it was slow.

I was very much looked after and was in hospital for 3 days after surgery which is the norm here.

I also had an endoscopy and examination to check for blockages. That was worse than the operation itself.

Glad I've finally had it removed.